Black caiman

Aalborg Zoo is the first zoo in the world to successfully breed black caiman.

This happened on 2 February 2013. No less remarkable was the fact that the eggs had previously been laid in a nest.

The species is threatened with extinction due to illegal hunting, as its skin is highly sought after, and the species also has difficulty re-establishing itself as caimans do not reach sexual maturity until 12 years after they are born. It is estimated that the population has been reduced by 99 per cent during the 20th century.

Today, black caimans are bred on farms, which has reduced poaching, and the farms have also been instrumental in releasing adults back into the wild.

Caimans and other crocodiles swallow large rocks partly to improve digestion, but also to be more stable in the water.

• Distribution: Swamp and riverine areas of the Amazon rainforest
• Population: Threatened mainly due to hunting through the 40s to 70s. In recent times, habitat restriction has become an equal threat
• Weight: Male: 300 kilos. Female: 100 kilos
  Body length: Male: 5 metres. Female: 4 metres
• Mating season: Not known for sure, but the female nests from September to December
• Reproduction: Oviparous and sexually mature after 12 years. The female lays approximately 40 eggs. Incubation lasts 2-3 months depending on the temperature. Like many other crocodiles, black caimans exhibit brood care
• Incubation period: 93-96 days
• Number of eggs: The number of eggs varies greatly in the black caiman. Nests with between 20-60 eggs have been found.
• Food: Black caiman feed on a wide variety of animals such as monkeys or capybaras as well as various fish, birds and reptiles
• Zoo menu: Rabbits, rats, freshwater fish, pigeons, chickens and deer
• Life expectancy: Approximately 70 years
• Latin name: Melanosuchus niger

Temperature is crucial for hatching

When the female caiman lays her eggs, she digs a hole in the ground. The eggs are covered and all she has to do is wait and guard the nest. The larger the females get, the more eggs they can lay, and the largest ones can lay up to 50 eggs at a time. A warm and stable temperature is a prerequisite for the eggs to develop and hatch, which is exactly what we find in the areas around the equator where caimans live. And temperature is important because it also determines the sex of the chicks. If the temperature is above 32.5 degrees centigrade, only males will hatch, but you have to be careful because if the temperature exceeds 33 degrees centigrade, the egg risks dying.

Harsh conditions in nature

Black caimans live alone. After hatching, chicks from different females often gather in groups, usually protected by the adult female that is nearby. In the wild, however, the tiny hatchlings face tough conditions. They are only around 30 centimetres long when they hatch and are easy prey for predators such as coatis, snakes, monkeys, birds of prey, fish and turtles. Only about 1-1.5 per cent of hatchlings survive.